Valley Family Center
“Ten years ago, I walked through these doors as a victim of abuse and trauma. I went from victim to survivor to warrior—now a healer in the making. My hope is to one day join the team.” These powerful words from a victim of domestic violence are a testament to the success of Valley Family Center. Founded in 1987, this vital organization offers counseling and educational services to any family in need throughout the San Fernando Valley. Programs are set up as individual, family, or group therapy for adults and children as young as 5 years old.
Clinical Supervisor and Licensed Therapist Lorena Villalba, who has been working at Valley Family Center for 15 years, says while they offer everything from parenting classes to after-school tutoring, but by far their biggest area of need is the widespread problem of domestic violence. It’s important to note, Villalba says, that they deal with the victims and the perpetrators. “This program allows for the same techniques and information to be given to both partners. Our aim is to change behavior through a collaborative therapeutic relationship and teaching the clients various problem-solving and mood-regulating techniques.”
Requests for such services are on the rise. Last year, of the 965 clients served, nearly half were counseled for domestic violence issues. Those in need are introduced to the Center through a variety of ways: word of mouth, Department of Children and Family Services, probation officers, shelters and even courts.
Success is measured by seeing victims make changes in the family structure that lead to a safer environment. Villalba says it is especially gratifying to observe children processing their emotions and healing from their trauma. In writing about the program, one small child says, “I’m not the best kid in my mind but you raised my confidence and now I feel like the best kid on earth.” It is this appreciation that motivates the three full-time clinicians and seven associates who are dedicated to counseling, teaching, and advocating for their clients.
The collaborative working atmosphere encourages everyone to be proactive and creative in terms of identifying needs of the community and designing a curriculum to meet those needs. This summer, for example, the Center will hold eight-week sessions for kids ages 5 to 13, that will focus on identifying and expressing emotions, learning ways to manage anger and increase self-esteem.
A key to the success of Valley Family Center is that it provides a safe environment for people to heal, and the individual is viewed as possessing the inner strength to change their own behavior. That message is clearly getting through. A client of the Batterer’s Intervention program expresses this beautifully, saying, “Because I attended the program, I have been able to learn from my mistakes. I have been able to accept them and love myself. When we did an art project in one of the classes, I realized that I don’t have to carry my past with me when moving forward.”